He did the theme music for several TV shows way back when (in the 60's), credited as Johnny Williams; including Lost in Space, Land of the Giants, and Time Tunnel. He also did the opening riff to Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn theme, and who can forget Fiddler on the Roof and Jaws!

My favorite though is The Empire Strikes Back. I've listened to that so often my CD is wearing out, time to buy a new one! So I will listen to William's music all day today, in honor

Thanks! '"Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!" he said to himself, and it became a favourite saying of his later, and passed into a proverb.'

I have some Star Wars music but somehow, I never actually want to press 'play' on it. It works well for the movies. I just don't quite enjoy listening to it. Or maybe it's *when* I'm usually listening... at work. (with headphones) Maybe it's just not good music for creative endeavors.

Our local symphony every so many years does a John Williams spectacular. They did it a few years ago and are doing again this year. It's a lot of fun. They play all the famous John Williams scores and people are encouraged to dress up as any character from movies related to his music. My family and I will be going again this year!

My absolute favorite of his pieces has to be Across the Stars from Star Wars II. It's sweeping, epic, grandiose, intimate, dark, tragic, and a whole host of other descriptions. It's perfect. There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall and the bells in the steeple, too. And up in the nursery an absurd little bird is popping out to say coo-coo (coo-coo, coo-coo).

one of my favorite fanfares by John Williams. I also love the jazz elements in HP: Prisoner of Azkaban and Tintin. Especially the way Williams blends those elements with late Romanticism and Medieval motets. And have I mentioned Indiana Jones? In addition to Star Wars, E.T., Close Encounters, Jaws, and heaps of others I'm forgetting at the moment.

It's also some of my Hobbit's favorite music - Beamer's, too.

So a very happy birthday indeed, John Williams! Walk to Rivendell: There and Back Again Challenge - traveling through Middle Earth with thirteen rowdy Dwarves, one grumpy Wizard, and a beleaguered Hobbit

I don't think there are any pieces of music from Episode 3 that I don't like. And there's certainly very little from the film as a whole that I dislike. There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall and the bells in the steeple, too. And up in the nursery an absurd little bird is popping out to say coo-coo (coo-coo, coo-coo).

I love John Williams. Star Wars is one of the first sound tracks I ever owned, and I played that record over and over until I really annoyed my parents <smile>. But a question: Did John Williams compose Fiddler on the Roof? I am, admittedly, no expert, but that doesn't sound like his work at all to me. Or am I thinking of the wrong musical?

And after some hasty research It appears he did an adaptation of the score for the 1971 movie, from music composed by Jerry Bock for the 1964 musical. So not composed by Mr. Williams.

My apologies, someone else had told me that he composed the score, and I didn't double-check. '"Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!" he said to himself, and it became a favourite saying of his later, and passed into a proverb.'

Thanks for the information. I never realized that Williams did an adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof.

It's always interesting to hear how one composer can expand on the ideas of another. Sort of like what Howard Shore did with Misty MountainsCold. I don't think Shore composed the original melody, but he was able to put his own touch on it.

Of course my first love was Star Wars (now called A new Hope it will always be Star Wars to me) I wore that record out

The music from Close Encounters of the Third Kind is not only lovely and dramatic, but it plays an integral part of the story. Love this scene where the scientists are trying to communicate with the Mother Ship. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4PYI6TzqYk It gives me goosebumps.

I think some of his later music is a bit too John Williams-y (sounds a lot like recycled earlier works) but when he's inspired, he's still got it! "The question isn't where, Constable, but when." - Inspector Spacetime

this The Conversation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conversation I've always heard a lot about it, but I've never seen it. I knew it was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who has a working relationship with both Spielberg and Lucas, so I thought maybe Williams did the music for The Conversation as well.

Anyway, I was in a hurry and didn't know if I'd be able to get back online tonight. I just wanted to post a bit of Close Encounters, which is where my mind went immediately. But I must always remember the immortal words of Treebeard: "Don't be hasty."

And besides, you know what they say about great minds. Don't know what that has to do with me, though"The question isn't where, Constable, but when." - Inspector Spacetime

For example, if watch the movie Chicago, it will list the composer/arranger as Danny Elfman, but the score is actually, I think, older than he is. But to adapt a musical score to a movie, you want a composer who is both familiar with the film industry and familiar with arranging other works.

‎"When we can take green from grass, blue from heaven, and red from blood, we have already an enchanter's power—upon one plane; and the desire to wield that power in the world external to our minds awakes." --J. R. R. Tolkien